Balloon Fiesta 2012

Albuquerque hosts the world's largest balloon festival, with 900 balloons participating this year. The geography and weather patterns create a "box" of air currents such that balloonists can rise to a certain elevation and travel in one direction, then change elevation and go the other direction, ending up more or less where they started. This allows them to stay in the air longer and have more control over where they end up.

We got up on Saturday morning, the first day of the Fiesta, with the intention of watching the Mass Ascension from a mile or so away. We had been told that to be on the field, we would have to leave our apartment by 5:30 to sit in traffic to get in. We were extra glad that we didn't attempt that when the word came that, due to high winds, the mass ascension had been cancelled.

Our next plan was to go to the Balloon Park in the afternoon, visit vendors and exhibits, eat dinner, and be on the field for the Twilight Twinkle Glow, during which the balloons are inflated but kept on the ground and they light them up with the burners more or less at the same time. We had more success with this plan.

The field was empty when we got there around 3:30 PM, but there are tents set up all along one side. We saw many creative ways to commemorate the fiesta, including balloon-themed pins, ornaments, magnets, wind chimes, flags, t-shirts, tote bags, wall art and more.
The food vendors are different from the ones at the Schaghticoke Fair.

There was even a vegan option!

There was a huge Arts and Crafts tent, where we did some birthday and Christmas shopping. The Balloon Discovery tent had educational displays, a History Channel video of trans-oceanic ballooning, and this simulator:

After exploring the displays, we purchased our food and found a place at a picnic table with two other families to wait for the Twilight Glow. There was a good chance it would be cancelled, as the winds were still fairly strong, but they died down just in time. The idea is that all the balloon captains fire the burners at the same time on a countdown from the announcer. In reality, they are so spread out and it's so difficult to communicate, that only some got the message. In spite of the disorganization, the spectacle of a whole field of balloons alternately lighting up was pretty amazing. As you can see from the photos, the crowd is allowed to be on the field, right by the ground crews. The glow was short, as the wind picked back up and the balloons had to be deflated.

The band was getting ready for sound check while Stephen took this picture through the stage.

Shape balloons are a big thing, and here's one for my brother: